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No. 548,201. Patented 00x22, 1 95.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' C. HVASS.

STREET SWEEPER.

No. 548301. Patented 0 2, 1895.

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( No Model.) 3 sheets sneet 3.

G. HVASS. STREET SWEEPER.

No. 548,201. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

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ANDREW BfiRAflAI'I, PHOTO U'IHOYWASHINGTUMD C UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HVASS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STREET -SWEEPERI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,201, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed October 4,1894. Serial No. 524:,8'73- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES HVASS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new nd useful Improvements in Street-Sweepers, f which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in street-sweepingmachines; and it consists particularly in the novel mechanism and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed, whereby there is produced an efficient sweeping-machine adapted moreparticularly for sweeping the gutters of streets, although the invention is not in all its parts confined solely to a gutter-sweeping machine.

The machine made the subject hereof embraces in its structure a vertical axially-revoluble shaft carrying horizontal brushes on its lower end and capable of vertical and lateral movement and mechanism for raising and lowering said shaft, and also clutch and drive mechanism whereby the motion of the main supporting-wheels is utilized for effecting the axial revolution of said shaft, all as hereinafter specified, and pointed out in the claims.

The invention consists, further, in certain details of construction, which will also be here,- inafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a top view of a street-sweeping machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of same,one of the supporting-wheels having been removed. Fig. 3 is a detached interior view of one of the clutches located at the ends of the main supportingaxle. Fig. 4 is a detached longitudinal section of said clutch. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached detail view illustrating the method of connecting certain arms of the machine and hereinafter specially referred to. Fig. 6 is a detached top view of a portion of the brushes and their shaft and illustrative of the method of securing said brushes to their support. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of same; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged central vertical section through the clutch on one end of the main supportingaxle, the, hub of the wheel being shown in section.

In the drawings, A designates the main frame of the machine, which, as illustrated in Fig. l more clearly, is made of a band of metal bent to form the opposite sides and D D, which serve to strengthen the structure and add rigidity to the casting B. Upon the lower surface of the casting B is secured the upper end of the bent spring E, which, as illustrated in Fig. 2, has its outer end between the lower end of the casting B and shoulder on the swivel-frame, in order that the said spring may be enabled to dissipate the jar that would naturally ensue from the swivelwheel passing over obstructions.

At about the center of the frame A are secured the standards F G, which approach each other above and from opposite sides of the body A and at thev center of the body A ascend perpendicularly upward,forming parallel portions, between which, by means of a bolt H, is secured the handle I, which is adapted to be turned either toward the front or rear of the machine in order that the operator may propel the said machine either by pulling orpushing on the handle I from either end of the machine. The upper ends of the standards F G are provided with a series of apertures, as illustrated in Fig. 2, for the purpose of enabling the vertical adjustment of the bolt H and handle I. At opposite ends of the body A are provided the standards J K, which, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 1, are composed of diverging braces, whose lower ends are secured to the body A and whose upper ends approach each other and form pockets L, adapted to receive and support the middle portion of the handle I, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The upper opposite portions of the pockets L are provided with apertures M to receive a locking pin N, the latter being utilized to fasten the handle I within the pockets.

The machine willcustomarilybe propelled While in the act of sweeping by pushipg on the handle I, which will at such time. be in the position in which it is illustratedin Fig. 2.

The front portion of the body A of the machine is mounted upon the main axle O and supporting-wheels P, the axle 0 having keyed upon each of its opposite ends the toothed clutch-sleeve Q, which is inclosed within the casing R, containing rollers S, the latter being intermediate the inner walls of said casing and the teeth of said sleeve, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The sleeves Q are fitted to and revolve with the wheelsP in awell-known manner, as shown in Fig. 8, in which it will be seen that the outer end of the casing R is of a diameter adapting it to fit within the hub P of the wheel P and that said casing is secured to said hub by means of screws R. The inner end of the casing R is of a diameter adapting it to encompass the toothed sleeve Q and rollers S, the latter being retained within the'said casing by means of the ring Q, secured by means of screws to the inner edges of said casing, as shown in Fig. 8. When the sleeves Q are revolving in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 2, (that is, when the machine is being propelled forward,) the rollers S will be wedged between the inner walls of the casing R and the higher surfaces of the teeth of the sleeve Q, and serve to lock said sleeve and easing together and insure the simultaneous revolution of the wheels P, axle O, and gearing connected with said axle. When the machine is moving backward, the wheels P revolve freelywithout rotating the axle O.

The clutch, consisting of the toothed sleeve Q, casing R, and rollers S, is of well-known construction and is not sought to be specifically claimed herein, nor is the present in vention limited to the use of said specific clutch.

Upon the axle O is mounted the beveled gear-wheel T, which engages the beveled pinion-wheel V, loosely mounted upon the lower end of the vertical shaft W, which extends upward through the transverse bar X and sleeve Y and is held in position by means of the collar Z, which is secured by a screw to said shaft W and prevents the latter from lowering through the sleeve Y. Upon the vertical shaft W is the sprocket-wheel a, which is in one piece with the pinion Vand connected with a similar sprocket-wheel b, secured upon the vertical shaft d, upon the lower end of which the brushes hereinafter described are secured. The motion of the axle O is communicated through the gear-wheels T V to the sprocket-wheel a and through said sprocketwheel a, drive-chain e, and sprocket-wheel b to the shaft d, whereby the latter and the brushes (letteredf) are given a revolving motion from the main axle O.

The shaft dis permitted to have both a vertical movement and a lateral movement, the former being for thepurpose of elevating the brushes clear of the ground and being accomheld between the collars of the sleeve 1', rigidly secured upon the upper end of said shaft d.

The lever g is pivoted upon the frame j, and when said lever is depressed to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 it will have the effect of elevating the shaft d and thereby lifting the brushes fclear of the ground, and when said lever g is released from its retaining-hook m, the shaft (1 will be permitted to lower and thereby effect the contact of the brushesf with the ground. The vertical shaft d passes through the sleeves n of said framej and also through the sleeve 0, formed on said frame and furnishing .a support for the sprocketwheel I). The framej is carried by the arm q, which is composed practically of a stud r, secured to the framej, a stud s, secured to the sleeve Y, loose on the vertical shaft W, and the tube 15, whose opposite ends fit upon said studs 0 s, respectively, and are there secured by means of the bands to and set-screws w, as shown in Fig. 5. The ends of the tube 15 are split, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, for the purpose of permitting said ends to be firmly secured upon the said studs 9" s, and the object of constructing the arms q as described is to permit of the longitudinal adjustment of the brush-shaft d with relation to the vertical shaft WV, the tube t and studs 7' .9 permitting the lengthening or shortening of the arm g at will. Upon the rear end of the arm (1 is provided a box or hearing carrying the roller a, which is adapted to rest and travel upon the curved tramway or support 1) during the lateral movement of the brushesfand shaft d. The support Z) maintains the arm (1 and the frame j in a definite horizontal position without interfering with the vertical adjustment of the shaft cl, which is accomplished, as hereinbefore described, by means of the lever g.

The brushesf are kept toward the curbing of the gutter to be swept by means of a barspring 01', which is secured to the frame X by means of a bolt and has its rear end in contact with the side of the frame j, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The spring (1' keeps the brushes up to, but not beyond, the line from the rollerj to the roller k, hereinafter described.

The brushesfare appropriately broad and are elongated in form and radiate from the lower end of the shaft d, and each is secured to said shaft by means of the box 6, rigidly secured upon the upper surface of the inner end of the brush and adapted to pass upon the arm f, which forms a part of the casting g, rigidly secured to the lower end of the shaft d. In the present instance I have employed four of the brushes f, and consequently the casting g is provided with four of the arms f to enter the four boxes 0, secured upon the said brushes. The connection between the boxes e and the arms f is rendered rigid by means of the set-screws h, which upon being tightened will eifect the rigid attachment of the brushesfand when loosened will permit the removal of said brushes. When the brushes f become worn or for any other reason useless, they may be readily removed by loosening the screws h and new brushes substituted for them.

Upon the side of the main frame A of the machine which is adjacent to the curbing when the sweeper is in use are provided the guard-rollersj is, one being at each end of the machine and the former being supported by means of the arm and braces m n, respectively, while the roller is is supported by means of the rod 0' and arm 1), the latter being at its upper end rigidly bolted to the frame of the machine. During the use of the sweeper the rollers j k will strike against the curbing, and thereby prevent any injury to the wheels P, brushes f, or other part of the machine, and the said rollers also preserve the machine in proper alignment with the curbing, and thereby insure the effectual and thorough sweeping of the gutter.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the handle I may be reversed at will, that the brush-shaft may move both vertically and laterally and is revolved during the forward motion only by the machine, that said shaft may be adjusted with relation to the gear'shaft W to take up any slack that may occur in the chain e, that the brushes f are detachable at will and revoluble horizontally to sweep the dirt from the gutter up into the street, and that during use the efficiency and durability of the machine are preserved by means of the rollers j k.

The structure of the machine as a whole possesses great strength and durability and has been specially designed to withstand the rough usage to which street-sweeping machines are customarily subjected.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a sweeping machine the vertical axially revoluble and vertically movable shaft having the brush at its lower end and a laterally movable frame in which saidbrush shaft is mounted and which is mounted in the frame of the machine, combined with gearing intermediate the main axle and said shaft, and clutch mechanism on said axle whereby the latter is revolved only during the forward motion of the machine; substantially as set forth.

2. In a sweeping machine the vertical axially revoluble shaft having the brush on its lower end, the swinging arm pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine and having shaft for communicating motion from the former to the latter; substantially as set forth.

3. In a sweeping machine, the vertical axially revoluble shaft having the brush or broom on its lower end, and the swinging arm pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine, and having mounted in its outer or free end the said revoluble shaft whereby the latter may move laterally, combined with gearing intermediate the main supporting axle and said shaft for communicating motion from the former to the latter; substantially as set forth.

4. In a sweeping machine the vertical axially revolubleshaft having the brush or broom on its lower end, the swinging arm pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine and having mounted in its outer or free end the said revoluble shaft and the spring in contact with said arm to keep the brush pressed toward the curbing of the gutter, combined with gearing intermediate the main supporting axle and said shaft for communicating motion from the former to the latter; substantially as set forth. Q

5. In a sweeping machine the vertical axially revoluble shaft having the brush at its lower end, the supporting swinging arm pivotally mounted in the frame of the machine and having mounted in its outer or free end the said shaft, and the curved tramway extending across said machine for said arm, combined with gearing intermediate the main supporting axle and said shaft for communicating motion from the former to the latter; substantially as set forth.

6. In a sweeping machine, the vertical axially revoluble shaft having the brush at its lower end, the frame j on said shaft and having the stud r, the shaft W having the gear wheel engaging the gear wheel on the main axle, the sleeve Y on said shaft W and having the stud s, the tube t, connecting the studs r, s, the sprocket wheels on the brush shaft and shaft W respectively and connected by a chain, and the lever mounted on said frame j for raising the brush shaft, combined with clutch mechanism at the ends of the supporting axle whereby on the forward motion of the machine the main wheels impart their motion to the axle and thence through the gearing to the brush shaft; substantially as CHARLES rivAss.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. GILL, EDWARD D. MILLER. 

